Comments

carbarn14

The federal gas tax is 18.4 cents per gallon - hasn't been increased in 20 years. The PA per gallon tax is 32.2 cents per gallon, and that has not been increased since 2005. The average sedan owner pays about $200 a year in highway taxes at the state and federal level. Considering that gives you access to every non-tolled road in the country, I would say that's a pretty good deal, a bargain if you will

Your original comment asserted, at least to my reading, that the fuel tax increases on a constant basis. It does not at the federal level or in the Commonwealth. These taxes should have, like most excise taxes, been tied to inflation.

SSSSTR

As usual, the problem is much deeper than appears on the surface. One of the main reasons the cost of fixing roads and bridges is so high is because of PA's prevailing wage requirements. Efforts are being made to fix this in the proposed bill. Will it be successful? Unions are still powerful in PA. Also, the entire PA State Police cost is part of the transportation budget. Should it be? Most of PA's politicians represent urban areas. So when a transportation bill gets passed, where does most of the money end up going? A definition of insanity: keep doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. Finally, I have heard Mrs. Rapp's Tea-Partyish "resounding NO" regarding a gas tax increase. But is this really the best we can do?

justobserving

They would do better if they could bypass all the roadblocks to new construction. Just to build a bridge they need 2 years of studies, search for mollusks, soil samples, architecs, engineers, load studies, etc. etc. There is a bridge standing there now, why is this neccesary? Just lining everyones pocket!